The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-03-24

AN ACT to place the inmates Of Insane Asvlums
under the protection OF the laws by securing
to them their postal rights.
Be it enacted by the legislature of the State of
Minnesota:
SECTION /. That henceforth each and every
inmate OF each and every insane asvuln, both
public and private in the State of Minnesota,
shall be allowed to choose one individual from
the outside world to whom he or she may write
when and whatever he or she desires, and
over these letters to this individual there shall
he no censorship exercised or allowed by any OF
the asylum officials or employees: but their
postOticc rights, so far as this one individual is
concerned. shall I've as free and unrestricted as
are those Of any other resident or citizen of the
State OF Minnesota, and shall be under the pro-
lection OF the same postal laws: and each and
evev inmate shall have the right to make new
choice Of this individual party every three
letters shall be dropped by the writer's thereof,
accompanied by an attendant. when necessary,
into pos:office box provided by the state at the
access to all the patients. The attendant is re-
CURED IN all cases to see that this letter is di-
rccted to the patients correspondent and if it is
not so directed it must he held subject to the
superintendenL's disposal: aud the contents OF
these boxes shall be collected once every week
by an authorized person from the postofficc de-
part,nent, and bv him placed in tine hands of
the United States mail for delivery
SEC. ?. Thai it is hereby made tho duty of
the superintendent to keep registered and
posted, in some public place at the insane asylum
true copy OF the names of every individual
chosen as the inmates corr .spOndents and by
whom chosen. and it is hereby made the duty of
the superintendent to inform each Of the in
dividuals OF the name Of the party choosing him
or her. and he is to request him or her to
write his her name on the
outside of the envelope of every letter
he or she writes to this individual inmate: and
all these letters bearing the individual writer's
name on the outside, he is requested to deliver
cause to be de Nv ,red, any letter or writing to
him or her directed, without opening or reading
the same or allowing il To be opened or read,
unless there il reason for believing the letter
contains some foreign substance which might be
used for medication: in which, case the letter
shall be required to DO opened in the presence of
q competent Witness and this substance shall
be delivered to the superintendent, to be used at
his discretion.
SEC3 lThat] any person refusing o: neglectlng
to comply with. or willingly or knowingly violau-
ing any of the provisions of this act. shall be
guilty OF misdemeanor, and upon conviction
thereof shall be punished as the Criminal Code
of Minnesota prescribes, aud by ineligibility to
anv office in the asylum afterwards.
SEC. 4. That printed copy Of this act shall
be framed and kept posted in every ward OF
every insane ASYLUM. both public and private,
in the State OF Minnesota
SEC. ). That all acts or parts of acts incon-
sistent with the provisions Of this act are
hereby repealed.
SEC. 6. This act shall take effect and be in
fo:ce thirty days froz: its passage.
Approved March lst :sas.